The Legacy Anchor (What Got You Here is Drowning You)
The Problem
Clinging to past successes while the world moves forward. That cutting-edge SQL server or data lake from five years ago is now an anchor. Automated reports via email and shared drives have become shackles of inertia. Spending more time "keeping the lights on" than blazing new trails—maintaining the status quo instead of leading change. The world is sprinting ahead while you're stuck in maintenance mode.
The Principle
Charge forward and lead the way—always. Set aggressive quarterly goals (OKRs work great) and ask every 90 days: What's our next big move? How do we make waves this quarter? What technical debt gets slayed? Rinse and repeat. It's not about speed; it's about continuous progress. Up your average—personally and as a team—quarter after quarter. Look back in 12 months and be stunned by what you accomplished together.
3 Steps to Take Action
Set 90-Day OKRs: Pick 1-3 aggressive goals for this quarter. What legacy system can you kill? What manual process can you automate? What new capability can you ship?
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